Wheel for an in-line skate

ABSTRACT

A wheel for an in-line skate has a hub and a tire. The hub has an inner segment, multiple flat spokes and an outer segment. The inner segment is annular and has a center, an external surface and an axle hole. The axle hole is formed through the center of the inner segment. The flat spokes are formed on and protrude radially from the external surface of the inner segment and each flat spoke is X-shaped and has two fins. The adjacent flat spokes may be arranged with a lateral deviation. The outer segment is connected to the flat spokes and is concentrically mounted relative to the hub. The tire is formed as a signal piece around the outer segment of the hub. Therefore, the wheel is lighter and improves shock absorption of the wheel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a wheel, and more particularly to a wheel for an in-line skate to reduce weight and improve shock absorbing capability thereof.

2. Description of Related Art

In-line skates require wheels to provide rotary motion. With reference to FIG. 6, a conventional wheel (40) is resilient and may be plastic or the like and has a hub (41) and a tire (42). The hub (41) has a center, an external surface, an axle hole (411) and multiple through holes (412). The axle hole (411) is formed through the center of the hub (41). The through holes (412) are formed through the hub (41) around the hub hole (411). The tire (42) is mounted around the external surface of the hub (41).

In the conventional wheel (40), the through holes (412) provide weight reduction, but can only provide shock absorbing capabilities from the resilience of the wheel (40), and this influences the comfort of using the skate.

The present invention provides a wheel to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the present invention is to provide a wheel for an in-line skate that reduces the weight and improves the shock absorbing capability thereof.

The wheel for an in-line skate in accordance with the present invention has a hub and a tire. The hub has an inner segment, multiple flat spokes and an outer segment. The inner segment is annular and has a center, an external surface and an axle hole. The axle hole is formed through the center of the inner segment. The flat spokes are formed on and protrude radially from the external surface of the inner segment and each flat spoke is X-shaped and has two fins. The adjacent flat spokes may be arranged with a lateral deviation. The outer segment is connected to the flat spokes and is concentrically mounted relative to the hub. The tire is formed as a signal piece around the outer segment of the hub. Therefore, the wheel is lighter and improves shock absorption of the wheel.

Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wheel for an in-line skate in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view in partial section of the wheel in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the wheel in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross section side view of the wheel along line 4-4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross section side view of the wheel along line 5-5 in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a front view of a wheel for an in-line skate in accordance with the prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, a wheel for an in-line skate in accordance with the present invention has a hub (10) and a tire (20) mounted around the hub (10).

With further reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, the hub (10) has an inner segment (11), multiple flat spokes (13) and an outer segment (12).

The inner segment (11) is annular and has a center, an external surface and an axle hole (111). The axle hole (111) is formed through the center of the inner segment (11).

The flat spokes (13) are formed on and protrude radially from the external surface of the inner segment (11). Each flat spoke (13) is X-shaped and has two fins (131), is arranged alternately with a lateral deviation between two adjacent spokes (13). The fins (131) of the flat spokes (13) may further have different widths, and may have an alternating wide, thin arrangement.

The outer segment (12) is annular, concentrically mounted relative to the hub (10), connected to the flat spokes (13) and may have multiple elongated holes (121). The elongated holes (121) are formed through the outer segment (12).

The tire (20) may be plastic, may be transparent and is formed as a signal piece around the outer segment (12) of the hub (10).

The wheel for an in-line skate in accordance with the present invention, have significant weight reductions over prior art due to the flat spokes (13) and the flat spoke (13) arrangement also improves shock absorbing capability of the wheel, thereby reducing vibration and improving comfort.

Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and features of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

1. A wheel for an in-line skate comprising a hub having an inner segment being annular and having a center; an external surface; and an axle hole being formed through the center of the inner segment; multiple flat spokes being formed on and protruding radially from the external surface of the inner segment and having different widths and being arranged as an alternating wide, thin arrangement and each flat spoke being X-shaped, being arranged alternately with a lateral deviation between two adjacent spokes and having two fins; and an outer segment being annular, concentrically mounted relative to the hub and connected to the flat spokes; and a tire being formed as a signal piece around the outer segment of the hub.
 2. The wheel for an in-line skate as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer segment has multiple elongated holes formed through the outer segment.
 3. The wheel for an in-line skate as claimed in claim 2, wherein the tire is made of transparent plastics.
 4. The wheel for an in-line skate as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tire is made of transparent plastics. 